In a recent development, it has been revealed that the GOP strategist who accused Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), of sexual assault last year, received a substantial financial settlement to drop his lawsuit against Schlapp. The settlement, reportedly amounting to $480,000, was paid through an insurance policy held by Schlapp’s right-wing organization, the American Conservative Union (ACU).
The accuser, Carlton Huffman, a former campaign staffer to Georgia Senate candidate Herschel Walker, filed the lawsuit in January of last year. Huffman alleged that Schlapp had defamed him and committed sexual battery by inappropriately touching him. The lawsuit also named Mercedes Schlapp, Matt Schlapp’s wife and a former Trump White House communications adviser, accusing her of attempting to tarnish Huffman’s character.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the settlement was reached a day after Schlapp and his allies claimed on social media that the case had been dismissed. The payout was reportedly made through the ACU’s insurance policy. However, it is worth noting that Huffman has expressed dissatisfaction with the statement provided by Schlapp’s spokesperson, stating that it did not align with the terms of the settlement.
The accusations against Schlapp had caused significant turmoil within CPAC, leading to the resignation of the committee’s vice chair and calls for further investigation into allegations of previous harassment by Schlapp against two other individuals.
Schlapp and his wife released a statement on social media, asserting their innocence and accusing the left of waging a relentless war against conservatives. They vowed to stand their ground and fight against what they perceive as an attempt to destroy conservatives and the nation.
